Conference Day

I have been asked to create blogs of my thoughts for two courses I am taking this summer.  In my other blog (ksircom@blogspot.ca) I commented on the content of the three sessions I attended.  So as not to repeat myself, I will comment here on the actual design of the learning experience that we teachers had on Friday.

The keynote address was given by Cheryl McLean who is, among other things, an actor.  Now here was an opportunity to break out of the traditional keynote speaker model: public speaking with Powerpoint presentation...and to do something that would draw on Ms.McLean's strengths while inspiring her audience.  But the opportunity was lost.  Ms. McLean did not shine as a public speaker per se.  Her voice was soft, full of "..and, you know..." and did not in itself inspire.  And her Powerpoint presentation was uneven and poorly-designed.  It was only near the end of her presentation (and, don't get me wrong, the content of her presentation was interesting) that we caught a glimpse of Ms. McLean's gift: when she "acted out" words written by someone who had been touched by her work.  She declared them in her best acting voice and they were clear and inspiring.  So, instead of trying to give a regular old Powerpoint presentation, Ms. McLean should have done what she was exhorting her audience to do: use creative thinking, think outside the box...and give a one-woman show as the keynote address.  It would have been wonderful!

The second address, on race relations, was a traditional talk/activity/discussion in a lecture theatre.  The design worked alright for everyone except the blind woman in the audience.  So much for Universal Design for Learning...

The third was a traditional lecture with traditional black-and-white linear Powerpoint presentation.  This design actually works very well for me, because I am a linear thinker, and I am also generally captivated by content rather than style.  I found the content interesting, and the well-organized Powerpoint was just enough to keep me on track with where the lecturer was going.